Arrangement for portable computers

ABSTRACT

The invention generally relates to an arrangement for docking a portable computer (100) against a number of peripheral units. Provision is made, e.g. at the rear side of the computer, of a multi-pole docking connector (19) whose poles correspond signalwise to the poles of conventional peripheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer (100). At the same time, access to the peripheral connectors (118a-f) is maintained, optionally in the form of copies (18a-f), signalwise and with respect to type, so that peripheral units can be connected to the computer (100), either in a docking station via the docking connector (19), e.g. in stationary use of the computer (100), or in conventional manner directly via the peripheral connectors (118a-f) or via the above copies (18a-f) thereof, e.g. when the computer (100) is used in the field.

The present invention generally relates to the docking of portablecomputers. More specifically, the invention concerns, according to afirst aspect, an ancillary device for a portable computer; according toa second aspect, a portable computer; and according to a third aspect, adocking station.

Normally, a portable computer contains a number of components, such as aprocessor, a fold-up LCD display screen, an optionally detachablekeyboard, a main storage, one or more hard disc units, and a battery.

Conventionally, a portable computer of this type has, normally providedat the back, but sometimes also at the side, a plurality of separateperipheral connectors, usually being of different types and havingdifferent numbers of poles (i.e. number of contact sleeves or contactpins), for connecting peripheral units to the portable computer.Typically, such peripheral connectors comprise: a `modular socket` fortelephone or facsimile transmission; a scanner interface; a serialRS-232 interface for connecting a mouse, a plotter, a printer, a modem,a digitalising table, and so forth; a connector for connection to anexternal display device (VGA); a parallel Centronics interface for theconnection of a printer, a floppy-disc station, and so forth; and aconnector for the connection of an outer, numerical or alphanumericalkeyboard, and so forth.

Apart from such peripheral connectors, a portable computer of this typeis conventionally equipped with a multi-pole bus connector arranged onthe rear side of the chassis and adapted to connect an outer expansionunit with a view to achieving a more powerful computer system, ascompared with the portable computer. Such an expansion unit may includee.g. a network card for connection to a computer network, an emulatingcard, a graphic card, and so forth.

Usually, a portable computer of this type also has a socket at the rearor at the side of the chassis, for the connection of an external powersupply, e.g. via the network adapter.

Today's portable computers are so powerful that they are advantageouslyused not only `in the field`, but also `stationarily` in an office orthe like. In stationary use, it is often desirable to expand theportable computer, which is done by connecting the bus connector of thecomputer to a matching bus connector of a cable from an expansion unit,and to connect one or more peripheral units of the above type to theportable computer, which is done by connecting separate cables to theperipheral connectors of the portable computer.

For the user, it is inconvenient to have to manually connect anddisconnect a large number of separate cables every time the portablecomputer is to be moved to or taken from the `stationary` environment.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,764, for instance, discloses the use of a base ordocking station when a portable computer is to be employed `stationary`for some time. The base or docking station which in a rear receivingspace has a bus connector matching the bus connector of the portablecomputer, such that the computer bus is automatically connected to theexpansion unit when the portable computer is placed in the receivingspace of the docking station. The US specification does not, however,disclose the docking of a peripheral connector of the computer.

The present invention has been developed with a view to obviating theabove inconveniences of the prior art. The general object of theinvention is to enable simple and safe docking of a portable computeragainst peripheral units without the need of manual connection anddisconnection of a large number of cables and connectors.

According to a first aspect of the invention, this object is achieved bythe provision of an ancillary device for a portable computer of theabove type, which is characterised by

a frame having a mounting side and a docking side and being designed tobe attached on the outside of the computer for mounting the ancillarydevice,

a second plurality of peripheral connectors supported by said frame,

at least one docking connector supported by said frame and designed tobe connected, by the docking of the computer in an associated dockingstation, to a matching connector of the docking station for connectionof peripheral units to the computer via the docking station, and

a circuit means for establishing an electric connection between theperipheral connectors of the computer and the peripheral connectors aswell as the docking connector of the ancillary device,

whereby the peripheral connectors of the ancillary device enableconventional connection of peripheral units to the computer also whenthe latter is not docked in the docking station.

The inventive idea can also be implemented internally in a portablecomputer. A second aspect of the invention therefore concerns a portablecomputer of the above type, which is characterised in that the computerfurther supports at least one outer docking connector which has a numberof poles at least equal to the total number of signal-carrying poles ofthe peripheral connectors of the computer, and that at least the mainpart of the signal-carrying poles of the peripheral connectors of thecomputer are electrically connected to a pole of their own amongst thepoles of the docking connector, the docking connector being adapted tobe connected, by the docking of the computer in an associated dockingstation, to a matching connector of the docking station for connectionof peripheral units to the computer via the docking station, theperipheral connectors being intended not to be used when the computer isdocked in the docking station.

Whether the invention is implemented as an ancillary device to bemounted as a separate unit on the computer, or implemented internally inthe computer, the invention is distinguished by (1) the provision of a`common connector` for docking purposes in stationary use, providingsafe and simple docking against peripheral units, and (2) access also tothe peripheral connectors of the computer, or to `copies` thereof forthe connection of peripheral units to the portable computer, e.g. infield use, when the user has no access to a docking station or does notwish to use one.

When the invention is implemented as a separate ancillary device, thecircuit means may comprise a plurality of mounting connectors which areaccessible from the mounting side of the frame and match the peripheralconnectors of the computer so as to be connected thereto when theancillary device is mounted on the computer, as well as wire means orthe like for establishing an electric connection between the mountingconnectors and the peripheral connectors as well as the dockingconnector of the ancillary device.

Preferably, at least the main part of the peripheral connectors of theancillary device are, both with respect to type and signalwise,essentially copies of the respective peripheral connectors of thecomputer, such that the original connecting performance of the portablecomputer with respect to peripheral units via separate cables remainsthe same, despite the mounting of the ancillary device on the computer.

Other preferred embodiments of the ancillary device and the portablecomputer according to the invention appear from the appended subclaims.

The invention also concerns a docking station for accommodating either(i) a portable computer provided with an ancillary device according tothe invention, or (ii) a portable computer according to the invention.The docking station according to the invention has a receiving space inwhich the computer is to be introduced with a view to interconnectingthe docking connector of the ancillary device/the computer and amatching connector, thereby automatically connecting peripheral units tothe computer when this is placed in the docking station. When thecomputer is docked, all or at least the main part of the peripheralconnectors of the ancillary device/the computer are not used andsituated substantially inaccessible in the receiving space of thedocking station.

The use of such a docking station has, inter alia, the advantage ofeliminating the risk of different peripheral units being simultaneouslyconnected both to the docking connector and directly to the peripheralconnectors.

The invention will be described in more detail below with the aid of anon-restricting embodiment and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a frame of an ancillary deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention, as seen from a docking sideof the ancillary device;

FIG. 2 shows the frame of FIG. 1 supplemented with schematicallyillustrated connectors;

FIG. 3 shows the ancillary device of FIG. 2 as seen from its oppositeside (mounting side);

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the ancillary device of FIGS. 2 and 3 andschematically illustrates an internal printed circuit board;

FIG. 5 is a highly simplified view of the printed circuit board of FIG.4 and basically illustrates how the ancillary device is electricallyconnected to a portable computer;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of an almost completely docked, portablecomputer equipped with the ancillary device of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 7 shows a rear wall of the docking station of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-section illustrating the arrangement of FIG. 6 fromthe side, the computer being completely docked.

FIG. 1 illustrates a frame, generally designated 10, which forms part ofan ancillary device according to the invention for a portable computer.The frame 10 essentially has the shape of an elongate hood having a topwall 11, a bottom wall 12, two opposing end walls 13, a rear wall 14constituting a docking side of the ancillary device and being formedwith non-uniform recesses 15a-f, 16 for the mounting of connectors, andan open front constituting a mounting side of the ancillary device.Approximately at the centre of the ancillary device, the bottom wall 12of the frame 10 has an elongate recess 17, whose function will bedescribed below.

The frame 10 is adapted to be fixed, e.g. by means of a screw joint, onthe outside of a rear side 110 of the chassis of a portable computer100, as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thus, the frame 10has a length and a height substantially corresponding to the width andthe height, respectively, of the rear side 110 of the computer chassis.

In the recesses 15a-f of the frame 10 are mounted a plurality ofconnectors 18a-f, which in the following are referred to as theperipheral connectors of the ancillary device and which, in theillustrated embodiment, are essentially identical with a correspondingnumber of outer, conventional connectors 118a-f mounted on the rear side110 of the portable computer 100 (see FIG. 5) and adapted to beconnected to peripheral units (not shown).

In this context, the peripheral connectors 118a-f of the portablecomputer are assumed to comprise:

18a: A 6-pole connector of `mini-DIN` type for connection to anexternal, numerical or alpha numerical keyboard;

118b: A 25-pole, 2-row parallel Centronics interface for the connectionof a printer, a floppy-disc station, and so forth;

118c: A 15-pole, 3-row connector for connection to e.g. an externaldisplay device (VGA);

118d: A 9-pole, 2-row serial RS-232 interface for the connection of amouse, a plotter, a printer, a modem, a digitalising table, and soforth;

118e: An 8-pole scanner interface of `mini-DIN` type; and

118f: A 4-pole `modular socket` for telephone or facsimile transmission.

In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral connectors 18a-f of theancillary device are, in respect of type, copies of the correspondingperipheral connectors 118a-f of the computer, but may also be of anothertype.

The ancillary device further comprises circuit means 20a-f and 21 forestablishing an electric connection between the peripheral connectors118a-f of the computer 100 and the peripheral connectors 18a-f of theancillary device 10. The circuit means include a number of mountingconnectors 20a-f (20f not shown in FIG. 3) which, as shown in FIG. 3,are accessible from the open mounting side of the frame 10 and whichmatch the peripheral connectors 118a-f of the portable computer 100 soas to be connected thereto when the ancillary device is mounted.Further, the circuit means comprise a printed circuit board 21 or thelike (not shown in FIG. 3), which is arranged in the frame 10 and, asshown in FIG. 5, establishes a permanent direct electric connectionbetween each peripheral connector 18a-f and the corresponding mountingconnector 20a-f.

In the recess 17 of the frame 10 is mounted a 78-pole, 4-row connector19, in the following referred to as the docking connector of theancillary device. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the printed circuit board 21also establishes a permanent direct electric connection to the dockingconnector 19 of the ancillary device and each of its mounting connectors20a-f.

When the ancillary device is to be mounted on the portable computer 100,each mounting connector 20a-f of the ancillary device is first connectedto the peripheral connectors 118a-f of the computer 100, and the frame10 is then screwed onto the rear side 110 of the chassis of the computer100. Thus, the peripheral connectors 118a-f of the computer 100 areconcealed within the frame 10 of the ancillary device, but areaccessible on the ancillary device, both in the form of copies, withrespect to type and signalwise, namely the peripheral connectors 118a-f,and in the form of a single common connector, namely the dockingconnector 19, of which each pole is connected, via the printed circuitboard 21, directly to a corresponding pole of one of the peripheralconnectors 118a-f of the computer 100.

The printed circuit board 21 may be of any optional type and compriseseparate wirings or, as is preferred, a so-called flexible printedcircuit board formed in one piece (see FIG. 4) and having flaps forconnection to the peripheral connectors 18a-f, the docking connector 19and the mounting connectors 20a-f of the ancillary device. The mountingconnectors may be `loosely hanging` in the printed circuit board 21 atthe open mounting side of the ancillary device.

FIGS. 6-8 schematically illustrate parts of a docking station 200 forreceiving a portable computer 100 equipped with an ancillary device ofthe above type. The docking station 200 has a bottom wall 201, a topwall 202, opposing side walls 203 and a rear wall 204. The walls 201-204together define an open-front receiving space 205 in which the computer100 and the ancillary device mounted thereon are to be introduced.

A 78-pole docking connector 206 is rigidly mounted at a distance infront of the rear wall 204 of the docking station 200. The dockingconnector 206 matches the docking connector 19 of the ancillary deviceso as to be connected thereto by the introduction of the computer 100into the receiving space 205.

When the computer 100 is thus docked in the receiving space 205, theperipheral connectors 18a-f of the ancillary device are electricallyunconnected in the receiving space and are essentially inaccessibletherein.

As illustrated with regard to the ancillary device in FIG. 5, thedocking connector 206 of the docking station 200 is electricallyconnected to a number of peripheral connectors (not shown) mounted inrecesses 207a-f (FIG. 7) in the rear wall 204 of the docking station200. These peripheral connectors are adapted to be connected by cablesto one or more peripheral units of the above type. Also, they may beinternally connected in the docking station itself, in which case someof the peripheral connectors of the docking station can be dispensedwith.

In addition to the peripheral connectors 118a-f, the portable computer100 has, in known manner, a multi-pole bus connector 120 (schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 8, but not shown in FIG. 7) arranged on the rearside 110 of the chassis for the connection of a 16-bit computer bus ofthe portable computer 100 to an external expansion unit (not shown). Forinstance a network card for communication between the portable computer100 and an external computer network, a graphic card, and so forth, maybe inlcuded in such an expansion unit.

The recess 17 in the bottom wall 12 of the frame 10 of the ancillarydevice is adapted to unchassis the bus connector 120 when the ancillarydevice is mounted. As shown in FIG. 8, the bus connector 120 of thecomputer 100 can thus be connected to a matching multi-pole connector208 in the receiving space 205 of the docking station 200, at the sametime as the docking connectors 19 and 206 are interconnected by theintroduction of the computer 100 into the receiving space 205, thefurther connection to an expansion unit via a cable 209 being performedin conventional manner.

Also, provision can be made of a docking connector 19 having asufficient number of poles to be connected also to the bus connector 120of the computer 100.

Moreover, it is conceivable to arrange more than one docking connectorof the above type for docking, each against a matching connector of thedocking station.

Further, the docking station 200 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 is provided withan ejector 210 in order to facilitate the removal of the portablecomputer 100 from the receiving space 205. The ejector 210 comprises ahorizontal, rotatably mounted shaft 211 extending over the entire widthof the receiving space 205 at a position between the rear wall 204 andthe docking side of the ancillary device. The shaft 211 extends throughtwo holes in the side walls 203 and is, on the outside of these walls,rigidly connected to handles 212 for manual rotation of the shaft 211.Inside the receiving space, two cam discs 213 are rigidly mounted on theshaft 211, one on each side of the docking connector 206.

With the ejector 210, the user may easily eject the computer 100 fromthe docking station 200 by turning the handles 212 in the directionindicated by an arrow in FIG. 8.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment of the ancillary devicedescribed above and illustrated in the drawings is by no meansrestricting, and the invention may be modified in many ways within thescope of the appended claims.

For instance, also a power supply to the portable computer 100 can beconnected by means of the docking connector 19. This connector need notnecessarily be connected to all the peripheral connectors of thecomputer. Optionally, some of these peripheral connectors may beaccessible and not concealed by the frame 10 of the ancillary device. Inaddition, all the poles of the peripheral connectors 118a-f of thecomputer 100 need not be connected to the docking connector 19 of theancillary device.

The inventive idea is described above with reference to an ancillarydevice or adapter designed to be mounted as a separate unit on theoutside of a portable computer. As mentioned above, the inventive ideamay, however, be implemented otherwise, namely by supplementing aportable computer with a docking connector corresponding to the dockingconnector 19 of the ancillary device and by internally establishing inthe computer such an electric connection to the peripheral connectors118a-f that the poles thereof are found as `copies` in the form of polesof the supplementary docking connector of the computer. According tothis aspect of the invention, the docking principle is essentially thesame as when the invention is implemented as an ancillary device.

I claim:
 1. An ancillary device for a portable computer (100) having afirst plurality of outer peripheral connectors for connecting peripheralunits to the computer (100), the ancillary device including:a frame (10)having a mounting side and a docking side and being designed to beattached on the outside of the computer (100) for mounting the ancillarydevice, a second plurality of peripheral connectors (18a-f) supported bysaid frame (10), at least one docking connector (19) supported by saidframe (10) and designed to be connected, by the docking of the computer(100) in an associated docking station (200), to a matching connector(206) of the docking station (200) for connection of peripheral units tothe computer (100) via the docking station (200), and a circuit means(20a-f, 21) for establishing an electrical connection between theperipheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) and the peripheralconnectors (18a-f) of the ancillary device and between the peripheralconnectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) and the docking connector (19)of the ancillary device, whereby the peripheral connectors (18a-f) ofthe ancillary device enable conventional connection of peripheral unitsto the computer (100) when the latter is not docked in the dockingstation (200).
 2. An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein atleast the main part of the peripheral connectors (18a-f) of theancillary device are, both with respect to type and signalwise,essentially copies of the respective peripheral connectors (118a-f) ofthe computer (100), when the ancillary device is mounted.
 3. Anancillary device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the circuit means(20a-f, 21) comprises a plurality of mounting connectors (20a-f) whichare accessible from the mounting side of the frame (10) and match theperipheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) so as to beconnected thereto when the ancillary device is mounted on the computer(100), as well as wire means (21) or the like for establishing anelectric connection between the mounting connectors (20a-f) and theperipheral connectors (18a-f) as well as the docking connector (19) ofthe ancillary device.
 4. An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the docking connector (19) has a number of poles at least equalto the total number of signal-carrying poles of the peripheralconnectors (118a-f) of the computer (100), and that at least the mainpart of the signal-carrying poles of the peripheral connectors (118a-f)of the computer (100) are electrically connected, by the circuit means(20a-f, 21), to a respective pole of the docking connector (19) of theancillary device.
 5. An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe frame (10) substantially comprises a hood having a top wall (11), abottom wall (12), opposing end walls (13), a rear wall (14) whichconstitutes the docking side of the frame (10) and is formed withrecesses (15a-f) for mounting the peripheral connectors (18a-f) and thedocking connector (19) of the ancillary device, and an open sideopposite to the rear wall (14) and constituting the mounting side of theframe (10).
 6. An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecircuit means (20a-f, 21) is provided essentially within said frame. 7.An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame (10)conceals the peripheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) whenthe ancillary device is mounted.
 8. An ancillary device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the frame (10) is adapted to be attached at a rear side(110) of the computer (100) and is an elongate element having a lengthsubstantially corresponding to a width of the computer (100) at saidrear side.
 9. An ancillary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein theportable computer (100) further has at its rear side (110) an outer busconnector (12) for connecting the computer to a matching bus connector(206) in order to achieve an expanded computer system, wherein that theframe (10) does not conceal the bus connector (120) of the computer(100) when the ancillary device is mounted.
 10. A portable computer(100) having a plurality of outer peripheral connectors (118a-f) forconnecting peripheral units to the computer (100), wherein:the computer(100) further supports at least one outer docking connector which has anumber of poles at least equal to the total number of signal-carryingpoles of the peripheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer, and atleast the main part of the signal-carrying poles of the peripheralconnectors (118a-f) of the computer are electrically connected to arespective pole of the docking connector, the docking connector beingadapted to be connected, by the docking of the computer (100) in anassociated docking station (200), to a matching connector (206) of thedocking station for connection of peripheral units to the computer (100)via the docking station, the peripheral connectors (118a-f) beingsubstantially inaccessible when the computer is docked in the dockingstation (200).
 11. A portable computer (100) as claimed in claim 10, therear side (110) of the chassis further supports an outer bus connector(120) which is separate from the docking connector and is provided forconnecting the computer (100) to a matching bus connector (206) in orderto achieve an expanded computer system.
 12. A combination including:aportable computer (100) having a first plurality of outer peripheralconnectors for connecting peripheral unit to the computer (100): adocking station (200) for receiving the portable computer (100) equippedwith an ancillary device; said ancillary device including: a frame (10)having a mounting side and a docking side and being designed to beattached on the outside of the computer (100) for mounting the ancillarydevice, a second plurality of peripheral connectors (18a-f) supported bysaid frame (10), at least one docking connector (19) supported by saidframe (10) and designed to be connected, by the docking of the computer(100) in an associated docking station (200), to a matching connector(206) of the docking station (200) for connection of peripheral units tothe computer (100) via the docking station (200), and a circuit means(20a-f, 21) for establishing an electrical connection between theperipheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) and the peripheralconnectors (18a-f) of the ancillary device and between the peripheralconnectors (118a-f) of the computer (100) and the docking connector (19)of the ancillary device, whereby the peripheral connectors (18a-f) ofthe ancillary device enable conventional connection of peripheral unitsto the computer (100) also when the latter is not docked in the dockingstation (200) wherein the docking station includes a receiving space(205) which is open at the front and into which the computer (100) isinsertable to interconnect the docking connector (19) of the ancillarydevice and a matching connector (206) of the docking station (200)arranged in the receiving space (205) for connecting peripheral units tothe computer (100) via the docking station (200), at least a main partof the peripheral connectors (18a-f) of the ancillary device beingsubstantially inaccessible in the receiving space (205) of the dockingstation (200) when the computer (100) is docked.
 13. A combinationincluding:a portable computer (100) having a first plurality of outerperipheral connectors for connecting peripheral unit to the computer(100), said computer (100) further supporting at least one outer dockingconnector which has a number of poles at least equal to the total numberof signal-carrying poles of the peripheral connectors (118a-f) of thecomputer, and at least the main part of the signal-carrying poles of theperipheral connectors (118a-f) of the computer are electricallyconnected to a pole of their own amongst the poles of the dockingconnector, the docking connector being adapted to be connected, by thedocking of the computer (100) in an associated docking station (200), toa matching connector (206) of the docking station for connection ofperipheral units to the computer (100) via the docking station, theperipheral connectors (118a-f) being intended not to be used when thecomputer is docked in the docking station (200); a docking station (200)for receiving said portable computer (100) the docking station includinga receiving space (205) which is open at the front and into which thecomputer (100) is insertable to interconnect the docking connector ofthe computer (100) and a matching connector (206) of the docking station(200) arranged in the receiving space (205) for connecting peripheralunits to the computer (100) via the docking station (200), all or atleast the main part of the peripheral connectors (118a-f) of thecomputer (100) being substantially inaccessible in the receiving space(205) of the docking station (200) when the computer (100) is docked.